The 29-year-old had spent two weeks sending messages to what he thought was a 12-year-old girl.

But instead he was confronted live on Facebook in a ‘sting’ by vigilantes Justice4Kids in Bredbury, near Stockport.

People in the area recognised him and descended on his home as police made their way to the scene. An hour later they arrived to take Edge away.

Michael Edge spoke to a girl saying that he would take her virginity in a park in Greater Manchester

Justice5Kids later urged people not to visit his home telling people ‘the family are victims’ as well.

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Edge has now started a 12-month prison sentence after being jailed after a court heard he had tried to meet the girl at Manchester Piccadilly so that he could take her virginity in a park near his home.

He also suggested that she should watch porn in order to ‘learn about sex’.

Prosecutor Lisa Boocock told Minshull Street Crown Court: ‘He was discussing that he would like to meet up with her and have sexual intercourse. The responses were of a naive nature. She was not suggesting activity. But there was a discussion about meeting and made it clear that if she wanted to, she could meet up with him.

‘It was clear that the defendant wanted to have intercourse. He was talking about going to a park, somewhere quiet and out of the way. This was an attempted offence and no distress was caused to a child but there was requests from him for pictures. ‘

He has now been jailed for 12 months for his own protection after his dad threatened to kill him (Picture: Cavendish)

He was taken away by police after an angry crowd gathered near his home in Bredbury, Stockport (Picture: Cavendish)

‘Later there was a confrontation at the defendants home address between him and the Justice for Kids group. The police arrived and arrested him.

‘He was bailed and went to live at a family home but he was subjected to abuse by members of the public after the sting operation and the following day he was taken back into custody for his own protection.

His lawyer Lee Hughes said in mitigation: ‘The level of harm was restricted and no girl was groomed or at risk. There were suggestions about the exchanges of pictures – but there was no sending of them.

‘One of the features of this sting is the live broadcasting that was done on Facebook and that was why people turned up at the address. He feels a great deal of shame and is sorry for his actions.

Edge told the girl that she should watch porn so that she could ‘learn about sex’ (Picture: Cavendish)

Sentencing Judge John Edwards told Edge: ‘Firstly I bear in mind that you were honest about all of this from the outset. Many are not but you pleaded at the first opportunity.

‘Luckily, no meeting ever transpired but what is most concerning is your willingness to encourage a girl you believed to be 12-years-old to meet you.